Switching apparatus



Sept, 7 9 1926.

W. M. SCOTT SWITCHING APPARATUS original Filed Feb. 17, 1923 INVENTOR wy w g; ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

swr'rcnmo APPARATUS;

Original application filed February 17, 1923, Serial No. 619,586. Divided and this application filed June 5, 1925. Serial m. 35,053.

My invention. relates to electrical switch or automatic circuit breaker structure for controlling or protecting electric circuits carrying current for power, lighting or other purposes. i

In accordance with my invention switch or automatic circuit breaker mechanism is disposed within a housing detachably connected to or pivoted upon a second housing into which extend the conductors of the circuit to be protected or controlled for effecting electrical communication with the terminals of the switch or circuit breaker mechanism, in combination with means for detachably fastening the housingsto each other in operative relation. T

Further in accordance with my invention a base, upon which the switch or circuit breaker mechanism is mounted, and through which its terminals or studs extend into the second housing, is pivotedupon or detachably carried by the second housing and held in operative relation thereto by detachable fastening means; and more particularly inaccordance with my invention the detachable fastening means holds the two housings in operative relation to each other to thereby hold the base in operative relation to the secondhousing.

Further in accordance with my invention there may be utilized in combination with the fastening means a lock or looking structure for holding it *in the housing-fasten,- ing 'position. f

Further in accordance with my invention the fastening means comprises members detached from each other and carried respectively by the different housings and which coact as toggle links which preferably overtravel to housing-fastening position.

My invention resides in features'of structure and combination of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

This application is a division from my V prior application Serial No. 619,586, filed ebruary 17, 1923.

For an illustration of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in

which: v

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of structure embodying my invention.

- Fig. 2 is a side eleyational view, on

smaller scale, of apparatus of the character illustrated in Fig. 1, with the front housing and base swung out from the rear or supporting housing.

Referring to the drawing, upon a base 1, of suitable insulating material, is secured the switch or circuit breaker mechanism which, for example, comprises two circuit breakers side by side, as viewed from the front, and one only of which appears inside elevation in the drawing.

1 The two circuit breaker arms form a socalled double arm circuit breaker, the two arms or poles of which are independently operable to normal or closed position, both connected in series in the same circuit, with automatic tipping mechanism, in general of the character described in my prior Letters Patent 1,389,996.

Each arm or circuit breaker comprises the main terminals 2' and 3, adapted to be connected-or bridged by the laminated contact member 1 carried by an arm 5 pivoted at '7- to thebr'acket 6 secured upon the base '1. Pivoted to the arm 5 at'8 is a toggle link 9 pivoted at 10 to the toggle link-11 pivoted at 12 to the bracket 6. Upon the member 9 is carriedthe pin or roller '14 for actuating the toggle as hereinafter described.

The member-J9 carries a pin or roller 15 env gaged by the'fhook latch 16 pivoted at 7, and having a tail 17 Pivoted concentrically with the latch 16 isthe latch actuator or bar 18 extending in front of, both'arms of breaker mechanism and adapted to engage and actuate the tails 1 7 of the latches 16 to release the members 9.

In serieswith the bridging member 4 is the winding or coil 19 of an overload tripping magnet whose armature 20, pivoted at 21, carries the arm 22 adapted to actuate the tail'18 of the latch actuator bar 18 in clockwise direction to effect actuation of the latch 16 to trip the breaker mechanism. Co-acting with the armature 20. may be a startdelaying device 23 of the sucker type.

The base 1 is detachably carried by or pivoted to the rear metal box or housing 24 with a hole 44 brought into the link 40 in clockwise pivoted upon it or detachably carried thereby.

Through suitable conduits or pipes 27 communicating with the interior of the housing 24 extend the insulated supply circuit conductors 28 and 29, connected, respec tively, to the studs 30 which extend through the base 1 and connect to the upper terminals 2 of the circuit breaker arms. a

One terminal of each of the magnet coils 19 connects with a lower main terminal 3, and the other terminals of the coils 19 connect with the studs 31 which extend through the base 1 into the rear housing 24 and there connect with the consumption circuit conductors 34 and 35 extending through the lower'conduit 27.

The switch or circuit breaker mechanism carried upon the base 1 is enclosed in the front housing H, as of sheet metal, provided adjacent its upper rear edge with hook hinges 25, similar to the aforesaid hook hinges 25 of and for the base 1, by which it is detachably carried on or pivoted to the rear housing 24 independently of the base 1.

Adjacent its lower rear edge, there are secured to the bottom of the housing H, upon its interior, lugs 36 having the up-standing flanges 36 adapted to engage the front face' of the base 1 and hold it, when the parts are in their positions indicated in Fig. 1, in operative relation to both the front and rear housings.

The housing H may befastened or, locked in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by fast-ening means whose elements are attached respectively to the front and rear housings.

The fastening means may comprise, for example, upon the bottom of the rear housing 24 the lug or ear 37 in which there is pivoted at 37 the member 38, in the. form of -a hasp or bail, adapted to engage in the 'notch 39 in the link 40 pivoted at 41 to the lug 42 secured to the bottom of the housing 40 is provided alignment with a hole in the lug 43 secured upon the bottom of the housingv H. Through these, holes when in re ister, may be inserted the hasp h of a padloc P, which prevents unlocking or unfastening the housing H from the housing 24. N

The members 38 and 40 co-act with each other as links of a toggle which, in the position indicated in Fig. 1, is overtravelled, thereby holdin the housing H locked to the housing 24, an in addition holding the base 1 inthe operative position, indicated in Fig. 1, by the lug 36 carried b the housing H.

By removing the pad H. At its free end the link direction about its pivot 41, the link38 will be caused to travel across the pivotal axis 41 from overtravelled to undertravelled. position, collapse of the toggle, with separation of ocky and rotating thereby causing.

the members 38 and 40 from each other, whereby the hous'ng H may be swung upon its hook hinges 25 to a position such as indicated in Fig. 2, removing thelug 36 from position in which it engages and restrains the base 1, allowing the base 1 to be swung to a position such as indicated in Fig. 2. l/Vhen so unf-astened the housing H of the base 1 may be detached at their hook hinges from the rear housing 24.

Secured upon the inner sideof the front wall of the housing H is a bracket 45, in which is pivoted the hollow or tubular shaft 46 having the bore or hole 47. The shaft 46 extends to the exterior of the housing H, and there is there secured to it, as by'pin 48, the operating lever or handle 49. Se cured upon the shaft 46 'within the housing H, but carried thereby on the bracket 45,

is the'actuating member 50, whose side edges are adapted to engage and depress the 'pins or rollers 14 on the toggle members 9.

With both arms of the mechanism in open circuit position, by rotating the operating lever 49 in one direction the actuating member 50 will engage and depress one of the pins 14, thereby extending the associated toggle and moving the movable contact member 4 to circuit closing position, in which it is latched by engagement of the latch 16 with the roller 15. Corresponding movement of the lever 49 in opposite direction effects a similar closure of the other arm. A suitable spring, not shown, biases the member 50 to mid or neutral position, indicated in Fig. l.

Pivoted to the inner end of the bracket 45 at 45 (which may be concentric with 10, as shown inFig. 1, but has no connection thereto) is the'tripping 1ever51, a spring 52, under tension, normally holding the lever in the positionindicated in Fi 1.

Extending through the h e or bore'47 of the shaft 46 is the rod or plunger 53 .hav-

18, which then actuates the tails-17 of the latches 16 of\both arms, tripping both simultaneously. By the construction just described, the actuating mechanism or member 50 is not moved inwardly with the tri lunger or rod 53, the actuatin mem er 5O ain confined against motion ongitudinally 0 its axis of rotation, and therefore confined substantially to a given plane of rotation.

What I claim is: a 1. The combination with a plurality of housin of atransverse base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic cirping cuit breaker mechanism secured on said transverse base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said transverse base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for eliecting electrical communication with said connectors, and means for securing said housings to each other comprising co-acting members carried, respectively, by said housings.

2. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a transverse base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said transverse base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said transverse base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for eflecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for securing said housings to each other comprising co-acting members carried, respectively, by said housings, and a lock for holding one of said members in housing-securing position.

3. The combination with a plurality of housings, of .a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said-housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for efi'ecting electrical communication with said connectors, and means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted, respectively, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to effect an overtravelling toggle.

4. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors, means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted,-respectively, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to eliect an overtravelling toggle, and a lock for holding one of said toggle members in overtravelled position.

5. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base intothe other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other said one of said housings upon said other housing, and means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted; respectively, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to efiect an overtravelling toggle.

7 The combination with aplurality of housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical "communication with said connectors, means for pivotingsaid base upon said other housing, and

.means for securing said housings to each other comprising co-acting members carried, V

respectively, by said housings.

8. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said houslngs'for efiecting electrical communication wlth said connectors, means for pivoting said base upon said other housing, means for securing said housings to each other comprising co-acting members carried, respectively, by said housings, and a' lock for holding one of said members in housing-securing position. 7

9. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for pivoting said base upon said other housing, and means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted, respectively, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to effect an overtra-velli'ng position.

said circuit 10. The combination with a plurality of housings independently of said one of said housings, of a base constituting a dividing wall between them, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from breaker mechanismthrough said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with saidconnectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other of said housings, means for pivoting said base upon said other of said housings independently of said one of said housings, and means for securing said housings to each other compris ing co-acting members carried, respectively, by said housings.

11. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base between them, circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electricalcommunication with said connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other of said housings, means for pivoting said base upon said other of said housings independently of said one of said housings, and means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted, respectively, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to effect an overtravelling position.

12. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base between them, circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other of said housings, means for pivoting said base upon said other of'said housings independently of said one of said housings, means comprising co-acting toggle members pivoted, respectivelv. to s id housings and detachably pivoted to each other to effect an overtravelling position, and a lock for holding one of said toggle members in overtravelled position.

13. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base between them, circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for efiecting electrical communication with saidconnectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other of said housings, means for pivother of said between them,

,tive position with respect to each other for holding said base in operative position with respect to the other of said housings, and means for securing said housings to each other comprising c'o-acting members carried, respectivel by said housings.

14. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base between them, circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in one of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings upon said other of said housings means for pivoting said base upon said other of said housings independently of said one of said housings, a member on said one of said housings engaging said base when said base and em one of said housings are in operative position with respect to each other for holding said base in operative position with respect to the other of said housings, and means comprising'co-acting toggle members pivoted, respectively, to said housin s and detachably pivoted to eachother to e ect an overtravelling toggle.

15. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base carried by one of said housings and constituting a dividing wall circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in another of said housings, connectors extending from said circuit breaker mechanism through said base into said one of said housings,.conductors extending into said one of said housings for ef' fecting electrical communication with said connectors, means for pivoting said other of said housings with respect to said base, a member carried by said other of said housings and detachably abutting against said base, and means for securing said other of said housings in position in which said member abuts against said base comprising co acting members carried, respectively, by said housings, and detachablyengagmg each other.

16. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base carried by one of said housings and constituting between them, circuit breaker mechanism secured on said base in another of said hous ings, connectors extend' from saidcircuit breaker mechanism lirough said base into said one of said housin conductors extending into said one of housings for effecting electrical communication with said connectors,

a dividing wall,

means for piyotingsaid other of said housings upon said one of said, hous-- ings, a member carried by said other of said housings and detachably abutting against said base, and means for securing said other of said housing's in position in which said member abuts against said base comprising co-acting members carried, respectively, by

housings for effecting electrical communi cation with said connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings with respect to said base, a member carried by said oneof said housings and abutting against said base to hold it in operative position, a member carried by said one of said housings in detached relation to said circuit breaker mechanism and operable from the exterior of said one of said housings for resetting said circuit breaker mechanism, and means com rising toggle members pivoted, respective y, to said housings and detachably pivoted to each other to effect an overtravelling toggle.

18. The combination with a plurality of housings, of a base between them, circuit breaker mechanism securedon said base in one of said housings, connectors extendin from said circuit breaker mechanism throug said base into the other of said housings, conductors extending into said other of said housings for effecting electrical communication with said .connectors, means for pivoting said one of said housings with respect to said base, a member carried by said one of said housings and abutting against said base to hold it in operative position, a member carried by said one of said housings in detached relation to said circuit breaker mechanism and operable from the exterior of said one of said housings for resetting said circuit breaker mechanism, and means for holding said resetting member in operative relation to said circuit breaker mechanism and for holding said base in operative relation to said second housing comprising co-acting members carried, respectively, by said housings.

WILLIAM scoTT. 

